Local lass
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there is aboslute nothing for kids to do in north calne they have taken the park at the football club .the closest parks for north part of calne are duncan street and stokes croft and they are ruined by older kids down there.
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kathy27
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Calne has always been the same. I know when we were younger we used to make up our own games but the way society has changed means kids dont have to use there imagination anymore, they have tv and computer games to do it for them.
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Peter Dolman
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MosquitoFirstly the council did not install this devise it was Sainsbury's due to the increasing number of acts of vandalism.
There are a number of places where kids can go
1) The Grove
2) The drop in centre
3) The leisure centre
4) They could of course stay at home and do their homework or read a book.................................
The latter is a tad contraversial but never the less appropriate!
Why is it the responsibility of councils to find something for kids to do where are the parents should they not have to take some if not all of the burden?
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kathy27
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| Quote: | | There are a number of places where kids can go |
.......Where or what is The Grove.... Even my daughter has never heard of it!!
| Quote: | | 2) The drop in centre |
...... Run by too many adults, thats why the kids dont use it!
| Quote: | | 3) The leisure centre |
..... I hope it does well this time around, fine if kids are into sport but others were never allowed to just go and hang around upstairs.
| Quote: | | 4) They could of course stay at home and do their homework or read a book................................. |
.....All work nd no play, kids have to have some time off.
| Quote: | | The latter is a tad contraversial but never the less appropriate! |
Peter your comments make me feel you have either never had kids or you never listen to what they want.
| Quote: | | Why is it the responsibility of councils to find something for kids to do where are the parents should they not have to take some if not all of the burden? |
..... No one has said its the councils responsibility to find something for the kids to do, however as calne grows so will the amount of kids hanging around, most just being bored teenagers, its the odd few that give them a bad name ( the police know who they are)
My daughter used to hang around the town ...... not because we didnt care as parents or do anything with her, but because thats where she used to meet up with her mates (after she had done her homework!) We didnt like it so tried to help the kids get something they were interesed in (after all how many clubs can you join in calne if your over 60??) After talking to alot of the teenagers they wanted the bowl fixed up to use, we offered to help them at a council meeting..... we were turned down!
MOST of the kids are ok, we had an open house one night so our daughter could instead of hanging around the town bring her friends back in the warm, there was NO trouble and about 30 teenagers turned up.
Peter talk to the kids, listen to what they have to say about the running of calne, dont forget they will be the ones voting for you in a couple of years!!!
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Chepfer
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The Grove is the new name for the youth centre in Priestley grove.
The town council had to purchace it as the county council were going to mothball it and get rid of it.
It is a well attended place for the youth of calne to meet and socialise, a place they can call there own !! and it's in the warm and dry.
They have a disco every week (friday nights i think) and theres loads of things there for the youth to do...... i.e socialise.... have a laugh.... theres a pool table - table tennis etc....and a cafe selling food and "soft" drinks...... plus if they do want to have a kick around with a footie then theres a pitch and tennis courts there.
BUT
I would like to point out that the only reason i know it is there is becuase i live near it.
I have never seen it advertised !!!!!
I have never seen any posters or details about it !!!!
It is not even featured on the calne.org.uk website.
If it were better advertised and promoted, then maybe just maybe we would have what were all looking for .....ie...... somewhere for the youth to meet, somewhere where the youth feel they can go and not be told what to do, somewhere where the youth can socialise without the need of Alcohol, Just somewhere for the youth to call there own....
It an opportunity sat waiting there to explode ...... Perhaps the town council could get there heads around it and make it work !!!
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kathy27
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I live just around the corner from it too, i must say i used to see kids walking past my house to go there, but i didnt realise it was still open!
The problem with the council chepfer is they are not interested in helping the young, from personal experence!
Also the problem isnt with the younger teenagers it the elder ones that buy drink for the younger ones and cause trouble through the town. The police know who they are but for some reason there hands are tied.
Even back in the early 80's when i was a teenager we used to gather in the car parks with our cars and meet up with friends, never doing anything other than chatting, but we were always moved on by police.
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Chepfer
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Yea it really is a pain isn't it.
I asked a police friend of mine why they have to apply for dispersal orders (which makes no sense to me at all) to move the kids on, as surely they are the law and can do what they want.
But no, the government decided a couple of years ago that, as we are an open/free society, then people can congregate wherever they want, not just kids but adults too ....... So they have to apply to the government asking if they can disperse groups of "People" from a certain area as it is a problem and criminal damage is happening. I say people as they are not allowed to discriminate the kids only.
As for the drink, there is a van that goes around the estates, selling alcohol to the kids... apparentley they come from chippenham and have look outs for the police....... These people are exploiting the kids of Calne "our kids" they need something doing about it!!!
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kathy27
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That van or another one has been going around for ages and its not just drink kids can buy, also i know of some of the older kids buy drink for the younger ones.
There will come a time when the people of calne will say enough and take matters into their own hands, maybe the bullies will think twice about dealing with angry parents.
I know i for one am fed up with worrying about my kids when the just pop to the shops, my middle son (very quite and shy) has been targeted by these bullies on more than one occasion.
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rosco
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| Chepfer wrote: | Yea it really is a pain isn't it.
I asked a police friend of mine why they have to apply for dispersal orders (which makes no sense to me at all) to move the kids on, as surely they are the law and can do what they want.
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I don't think we really want a society where the police can do "what they want" do we? Only what's lawful, otherwise we get a Stasi/Gestapo type system run by fear.
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But no, the government decided a couple of years ago that, as we are an open/free society, then people can congregate wherever they want, not just kids but adults too ....... So they have to apply to the government asking if they can disperse groups of "People" from a certain area as it is a problem and criminal damage is happening. I say people as they are not allowed to discriminate the kids only.
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Quite right too, I don't see why people should be asked to dispersed just because they are in an area - streets are public places and so the public should be able to be there, in general. Only if there is a perceived problem should it be done, when a temporary license is received.
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As for the drink, there is a van that goes around the estates, selling alcohol to the kids... apparentley they come from chippenham and have look outs for the police....... These people are exploiting the kids of Calne "our kids" they need something doing about it!!! |
Never heard of that, doesn't sound good at all. :shock:
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Local lass
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one of the biggest problems is that kids do not fear the police.they have no reason to.
its not like when we were growing up ,always taught to respect the police as the are figure of autoroty.
the promlem is the police have very little authority now.
imagen the up roar is a police men gave a kid a slap round the ear.
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Peter Dolman
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MosquitoWell I am gobsmacked how can anyone have lived in Calne for any length of time and not know about The Grove (formerly the youth club). This is a building errected in the 70's or even earlier after the youth club on the recreation ground was demolished.
It is situated in Bentley Grove, which for those who don't know is at the end of Anchor Road.
The Grove was earmarked for closure by the County Council and the town council ran it for approx 6 months while investigating ways of obtaining extra revenue streams with which to fund its operations. The town council eventually refused to take it over on a permanent basis but the County did not close it after considering the work the town council had done and the additional monies the town council had identified.
[b]The Grove is owned, funded and run by the Wilts County Council[/b].
The drop in centre is operated by volunters and apart from having to pay for drinks and snacks is free to the users. The kids are able to use the computors and access the internet (subject to restrictions), play pool and generally chill out. It is funded by grants and donations. The town council pay for the annual rent which is approx £6,500 pa (the actual figure can be checked in the councils budget). While not open every night it does provide a worthwhile service with upwards of 30 youngsters visiting it during a single evening.
The Drop in Centre is run by volunters who have to raise funds from who every they can.
As an x councillor I can say with out contradiction that Calne Town Council spend considerable time, effort and resources on youth related matters. In comparison they spend little or no time on seniors citizens, the unemployed or those with social needs all off which have problems to overcome.
As I have said there are places to go, yes there are not enough although quite frankly there never will be, but where is the money to fund these places to come from. A one of charge for the Leisure Centre of £9.50 in next years Calne Town Precept was unfairly, in my opinion, slated by some. It would take a lot more to provide these additional resources that people are calling for.
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Chepfer
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It's a good facility that has a big potential. But it is not advertised enough........
Local lass and Kathy have both said they have never heard of it nor has Kathys daughter, i think that says something in itself, especially as she lives just around the corner from it !!!!.
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kathy27
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Well I am gobsmacked how can anyone have lived in Calne for any length of time and not know about The Grove (formerly the youth club). This is a building errected in the 70's or even earlier after the youth club on the recreation ground was demolished.
It is situated in Bentley Grove, which for those who don't know is at the end of Anchor Road.
Peter if your going to slate people for not knowing where something is...... at least get your geography right.... The Grove (know bymost as the youth club) is in Priestley Grove not Bentley Grove, Bentley Grove is in the middle of Anchor Road not at the end, Priestley Grove is at the end!! 
Also it was closed a couple of years ago because kids were using it as a dry place to get drunk and take drugs.
As chepfer has already said there has been no advertising for it so how the hell is anyone to know it has not only re-opened but changed its name?
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Bear
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When I first read this thread and people started talking about "The Grove" I though well I've never heard of that but as soon as someone said it was the old Youth Club up Anchor Road I new exactly where it was so Kathy you are quite right , what is the point of changing the name of an establishment without telling anyone. It would be like Sainsburys changing its name to Harry Smiths and not advertising it no one would know where Harry Smiths was but they'd know where Sainsburys was.
Oh and by the way going back to the Mosquito did you know that Somerfield has one too.
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kathy27
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:lol: No i didnt Bear, and i worked there (for a couple of weeks!)
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Bear
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Yeh Kathy I read an article somewhere it went along the lines of both managers saying that they were going to keep it to deter youngsters gathering. I suggest that one night we get together as many over 25s as we can and will have a bring a can party in Somerfield or Sainsburys car park just to show our support for the youngsters
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kathy27
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:lol: good idea it might even show the odd few yob's (that ruin it for eveyone else) that we can take calne back.
would love to see the look on the polices faces too :lol:
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Bear
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Especially if we all wore hoodies so noone would see how old we are.
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kathy27
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I'm going to buy my hoodie today :lol:
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daffy
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Re: Mosquito[quote="Peter Dolman"]Firstly the council did not install this devise it was Sainsbury's due to the increasing number of acts of vandalism.
There are a number of places where kids can go
1) The Grove
2) The drop in centre
3) The leisure centre
4) They could of course stay at home and do their homework or read a book.................................
The latter is a tad contraversial but never the less appropriate!
Why is it the responsibility of councils to find something for kids to do where are the parents should they not have to take some if not all of the burden?[/quote]couldnt agree more !
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Peter Dolman
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dear Daffy I agree with you but if you read the comments in this thread and heard the comments made to me by frustrated kids (and parents) then you would understand that there are many who blame the council.
mind you they do not differentiate between county, district and town councils. The different councils have different responsibilities and different amounts of money which they can use.
Councillors of all persuasions do try to do the best they can but can never do enough so it seems.
In reply to some comments yes it is Priestly Grove (I am getting on a bit).
Yes I have 3 children all went to St Dunstans and the JBS and all 3 went on to university. Surprising, but possible!
Yes I talk to teenagers all the time, many of them used to visit the shop just to talk. They tell me what they want.
I have to say on balance it does help to have interested caring parents.
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